Netflix Births Unlimited-Leave Policy For Mom And Pop Staffers

Netflix has a message for its employees who are planning to become parents: Take your time with those little future subscribers. The company said in a corporate blog post today that it will begin offering unlimited leave for women and men that “allows them to take off as much time as they want during the first year after a child’s birth or adoption” — and not worry about a smaller paycheck.

The new maternity and paternity policy is a far 3 AM cry from what most U.S. corporations offer to new moms and dads. It includes full pay for those potentially bleary-eyed staffers, who can return full or part time whenever they’re ready to do so. “Each employee gets to figure out what’s best for them and their family, and then works with their managers for coverage during their absences,” Chief Talent Officer Tawni Cranz wrote on the company’s U.S. & Canada Blog.

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One commenter on the post summed up the external goodwill Netflix likely bought with the new policy — and deserves: “So proud of Netflix! I will always be a customer now.”

Here’s the full post:

At Netflix, we work hard to foster a “freedom and responsibility” culture that gives our employees context about our business and the freedom to make their own decisions along with the accompanying responsibility. With this in mind, today we’re introducing an unlimited leave policy for new moms and dads that allows them to take off as much time as they want during the first year after a child’s birth or adoption.

We want employees to have the flexibility and confidence to balance the needs of their growing families without worrying about work or finances. Parents can return part-time, full-time, or return and then go back out as needed. We’ll just keep paying them normally, eliminating the headache of switching to state or disability pay. Each employee gets to figure out what’s best for them and their family, and then works with their managers for coverage during their absences.

Netflix’s continued success hinges on us competing for and keeping the most talented individuals in their field. Experience shows people perform better at work when they’re not worrying about home. This new policy, combined with our unlimited time off, allows employees to be supported during the changes in their lives and return to work more focused and dedicated.